God is a God of Peace

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace….

1 Corinthians 14:33

There are people who try to distract from the truth of the Gospel with confusion.  They distort the Word of God for their own purposes.  They may make the free gift of salvation through Jesus into something which requires a cash payment, and like wise for the blessings of God.  

In all this we need to take warning that any time anyone distorts the Word of God or adds to it, that it is not from God but from the corrupt hearts of men or women.

The truth of the Gospel and God's promises bring peace.   

 

 

Look Forward

 

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19

Sometimes we are weighted down by our past experiences and this keeps us from doing new things.  A failure is a failure and is not a life sentence.  Just the same as a success, does not mean we stop working to do what God has called us to do.

God has big plans for us.  Even if we think something is insignificant, if it furthers the work of the Gospel and reveals the mercy of God, it is a big deal.  

God wants us to stop looking backward and start looking forward and to Him for new things that He is calling us to do.  

Look forward for what God has planned for you.   

Be Ready

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

2 Timothy 2:4

Several years ago, I attended a small rural church and one Sunday, one of the visitors was a minister from another denomination.  The pastor seeing him in the congregation, greeted him and asked him if he would like to give the sermon.  The man nodded and came forward.  He took a piece of paper from his pocket and in my opinion proceeded to give a good sermon.  It was relevant, had some humor and was  encouraging. 

How could that be?  I think that was because he took this scripture to heart - to be ready in season and out of season.   

We may not be called on to preach, but everyday we have opportunities to share the love of Christ with others.  To be ready we can equip ourselves with some tools - like the Roman's Road to Salvation, and scriptures that speak of the love of God for everyone.  Doing this we can bring hope and mercy to the world.  

Be ready in season and out. 

 

Try To Be A Little Friendlier

 

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Romans 12:16

A few years ago, my husband and I were looking for a church to attend. At several of the churches we visited, we were invisible. No one came up and introduced themselves, no one asked us to stay for coffee and cookies after church and no one called us to say they hoped we would come back again. We were not one time visitors, but several times visitors, all with no response. We signed the attendance list in the pew and we gave our offering in a check, yet we were invisible.

Why did no one respond?

I think perhaps because the regular attenders had a club mentality, that is they viewed the church as a club for members, and they were members and we were not. Although we enjoyed the worship services, after a few weeks, we went somewhere else.

The church is not a club; it is an association of real people with real needs. I might add, that this applies to other groups to which we belong and which might not be too welcoming to visitors.

Let’s try to be a little friendlier.

Overwhelm Our Enemies

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25.

Wow! All this is ours for the taking! Just think how peaceful our homes would be if we just strive for the fruits of the Spirit in our families. And, should this spill out into the world, we might overwhelm our enemies with God’s love.

God of the Second, Third, and Fourth Chance

 

…Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4

God operates from love to show everyone His kindness and tolerance and patience so that we, being dense when it comes to spiritual things, will come to understand that He is working in our best interests both in terms of earthly matters and in terms of our coming to know Him.

We can become callous and not appreciate that people who receive second chances in realm of earthly matters by earthly judges or bosses or family members are not receiving this mercy just from humans but from God who invests Himself in changing human hearts.

God is the God of second and third and fourth chances because as long as we have breath in our bodies we have the option of asking God’s Son, Jesus, to be our Lord, Master and Savior.

You Will Not Be Scorched

 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched.

Isaiah 43:2

Don't you just love it when people are going through tough times and people tell them to "suck it up?"  As if, by some great cosmic event, ignoring their problems will some how lead to people finding a way out.

I realize that sometimes when you get something going you have to roll with it, but at the same time I realize that no matter what is happening in our lives, God is caring for us and is with us.  

God promises when we walk through the fire, He is with us, and His promises are true.